Victorian CLCs
Access to Interpreters
Translations Kit.
2nd Edition - September 2006
A Project of the Federation of Community Legal Centres
“Access to Interpreters Working Group”.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Overview 3
Useful numbers and codes: 5
Working Group Aims and Objectives 6
Working Group Contact List 2006 7
Meeting and reporting dates for 2006 8
Introduction 9
How to use your VITS allocation 11
How to monitor your Expenditure 14
VOCAT applications and claiming interpreting costs 14
Travel costs for Regional and Rural Centres - VITS 15
TIS,VITS and Vicdeaf differences between these services 16
Using Accredited Interpreters - NAATI 17
Overview
Each Victorian CLC will be provided with a CD-R copy of the Kit. CD-R disks are read only which means that you cannot save data onto this disk. Either transfer the data to your network system or print it via the CD.
If you prefer to use the disk via your drive you can still access the website links that are in the coloured text. For example: www.communitylaw.org.au
To do this: place your cursor over the web link and it will then take you to the website.
Chapters 1 to 5 important information is placed either in a text box, bold, or in red. The Kit is divided into twelve chapters described briefly below.
Your Centre details
STAFF MEMBER
(NOMINATED CENTRE REPRESENTATIVE - WHO MONITORS INTERPRETING EXPENDITURE AT YOUR SERVICE.)
Useful numbers and codes:
TIS Telephone No: 131 450 – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.TIS Fax: 1300 654 151
Your TIS Code:
VITS Telephone No: (03) 9280 1955
VITS Fax: (03) 9280 1960 (Fax bookings more than 48 hrs notice)
Your VITS Code:
VICDEAF Telephone No: (03) 9473 1117 or 9473 1118
VICDEAF Fax: (03) 9473 1144
Working Group Aims and Objectives
AIM
To promote equal access to community legal Centres regardless of language and to eliminate discrimination (on the basis of language, or hearing impairment) in CLCs.
OBJECTIVE
Increase access to all services and the quality of services of CLCs for people of CALD communities and others requiring interpreting services such as people with a hearing impairment.
STRATEGIES
1. To encourage Centres to use qualified interpreters and arrange translators whenever possible and as far as funding will allow.
2. To actively encourage CLCs to prioritise the provision of interpreters in all aspects of their service delivery for members of their CALD communities and those with hearing impairment.
3. To continue to lobby both State and Commonwealth governments to maintain and or increase funds to pay for NAATI accredited interpreters/translators for CLCs.
4. To work collaboratively with the NACLC to monitor Centres level of access to TIS Interpreters funded by the Commonwealth Attorney Generals Department (CCLSP) and to work toward ensuring Centres have permanent unlimited access to TIS resources for the provision of legal advice and casework service and Community Legal Education sessions.
5. To oversee and monitor the allocation of the annual VITS funding managed by Victoria Legal Aid and where appropriate liaise with VLA’s CLC State Program Manager.
6. To regularly monitor the expenditure VITS allocations to individual Centres in order to ensure that funds are expended before 30th June of each year and where appropriate re-allocate surplus funds to other Centres or projects.
7. To monitor State CCLSP TIS budget allocations and liaise with the VLA CLC Program Manager to ensure sufficient funds are available for the continuation of TIS services.
8. To encourage Centres to include the Access to Interpreters and Translations Kit in the orientation program for staff and volunteers and their SSPI Manuals.
9. To encourage Centres to be vigilant in gathering data on the use of interpreters or translators, via the CLSIS or centre specific databases.
10. Encourage training of CLC workers in best practice when working with interpreters (including interpreters for the hearing impaired).
11. To facilitate at least two meetings per annum of representatives from CLCs to discuss sector projects, VITS / TIS expenditure, identify current and future translation and interpreters needs and opportunity for expansion in funding and resources.
12. To liaise with CLEWs to encourage the sharing of resources between CLCs particularly translations of CLE translations.
Working Group Contact List 2006
Suzy FoxSt Kilda CLC
Telephone: 9534 0779
Email:
/ Carol McNair
RILC
Telephone:
Email:
Carmen Tommasi
Flemington & Kensington CLC
Telephone: 9376 4355
Email: / Sue Vincent
Peninsula CLC (Frankston Office)
Telephone: 9783 3600
Email:
Maria Georgiou
Darebin CLC
Telephone: 9489 6321
Email:
Bulletin Board System (BBS)
Working Group updates are provided in the Access to Interpreters folder on the BBS.
Go to Victoria folder then Vic Sector Development
– Access to Interpreters folder is located here.
*** Convenor:
Suzy Fox until December 2006. New convenor to be appointed Jan/Feb 2007.
Meeting and reporting dates for 2006
The Working Group holds meetings bi-monthly. Additional meetings may be held to discuss specific issues such as VITS funding allocations.
Working Group meeting dates will be listed on the BBS – see Access to Intpreterers folder.
We encourage Centre Representatives to attend these meetings particularly Centres that are in the high need category.
General agenda items for 2006 are as follows:
· Tuesday 14th February 2006 – Expenditure and Kit.
· Thursday 23rd March – Extra meeting to discuss Expenditure requests and Kit.
· Tuesday 9th May 2006 - Reallocations for the current year to 30 June Tuesday 13th of June - review of outstanding amounts if any for 2006. Final decisions made regarding next years allocation – 1st July 2006.
· Tuesday 8th August 2006 –Review whether training or research by the group needs to be developed for the Sector.
· Tuesday 14th November 2006 - Expenditure reviews are CLCs on track or under spending. If under spending notice to be sent to services. Review of policies. DIMA and TIS funding lobbying.
Meetings for 2007 February, March, May, June, August and November. These meetings will cover the same agenda items as listed in 2006.
Introduction
Dear CLC Workers & Volunteers,
This is the second version of the kit. The kit provides an overview of the interpreting and translating services available to Centres.
Please assist the Working Group by ensuring that you monitor your expenditure and make effective use of these interpreting and translating resources.
The kit provides strategies for Centres to assist them in identifying specific Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) groups and those with hearing disabilities, identifying their legal needs and improving access to legal services.
Telephone Interpreting Service (TIS), Victorian Interpreting & Translating Service (VITS) and Vicdeaf contact details and forms have been updated in this kit.
It is important that ALL CLC Workers and Volunteers be conversant with the contents of this kit to ensure that:
· Proper administrative systems have been developed and implemented within Centres.
· The issue of access for these communities is a recurrent strategy in all CLC Strategic plans.
· Mechanisms to improve and maintain access to all services are reflected in the individual Centre’s Service Standards and Policy and Procedure manuals
Centres will also need to take a proactive approach in monitoring the interpreting and translation resources available to them and to assist in assessing future resource requirements. It is strongly suggested that a staff member be appointed to:
· Act as the official contact person to liase with the Working Group.
· Implement and manage the administrative systems and procedures for monitoring the use of interpreters and translations.
· Facilitate the collection of up to date demographic data and information on CALD groups in your community to assist in identifying legal needs.
· Maintain expenditure records of VITS funding allocation.
· Provide reports to the Working Group as requested.
· Attend the Working Group meetings or seminars when organised by the group.
We hope that this kit is a useful and informative resource guide and ultimately contributes to improving access to justice for those members of communities from CALD backgrounds and people with a hearing disability.
We welcome any feedback on the contents of the Kit. Please feel free to contact any member of the Working Group if you wish to discuss any issues relating to the Kit. The Working Group welcomes new members in fact it would be greatly appreciated!
How to use your VITS allocation
1. Interpreting
In the first instance, funds allocated to your service are to be used primarily for face-to-face interpreting. A bar has been placed on Centres accessing VITS telephone interpreters as a number of Centres were using VITS instead of TIS.
2. Translations
Whilst CLCs may use a small portion of their VITS allocation for translations. The Working Group will not accept a CLC using all or most of their allocation for translations unless there are exceptional circumstances.
· If a Centre plans to use a large percentage of their allocation on translations, prior to submitting your request you are required to discuss this with the Working Group.
· Special Centre translations: The Working Group is aware that from time to time Centres may need to translate their Centre pamphlets into specific languages as a means to improving access for CALD communities and may need to use part of their allocation to fund translations. The Working Group would view this as a legitimate use of VIT allocations but Centres should first contact the Group prior to undertaking these translations. Alternative areas that you should consider for these type of translations are: community grants via your local council, Philanthropic trusts.
· New funding projects should always include any possible interpreting and translations in your submissions.
· We strongly discourage Centres translating solicitor to client advice letters, this is clearly a misuse of the limited funds available. Translate only in exceptional circumstances.
· We strongly discourage Centres from using funds to translate documents such as birth certificates, or marriage certificates particularly when it is in relation to divorce matters - clients who are on Centrelink benefits are generally exempted from the $550 Family Court fee and are receiving free legal advice from the Legal Centre. Translations should be undertaken only in exceptional circumstances. ( See Family Law Link in Chapter 5)
· We strongly discourage Centres from leaving it until the last months of the financial year to contact the Working Group to advise your remaining funds will be used for translating purposes. Your allocation is primarily based on your expressed need to access on-site interpreters.
· If it becomes evident through monthly monitoring of expenditure that a Centre is not utilising its allocation for interpreting, then the Working Group will assume your interpreting needs have been miscalculated or your service no longer requires funds set at your current level. The Working Group will accordingly re-evaluate your allocation level, which may result in a portion of your funds, being reallocated to a higher needs Centre.
· Do not submit VITS translation projects in the last week of the financial year - they must be submitted at least four weeks before the 30th of June.
· Inform Working Group members of any translations that your service is considering doing, as these documents may be useful for other CLCs for their CALD community.
3. Community Legal Education (CLE)
Use of VITS money for CLE should generally be used for urgent or unplanned CLE sessions that may have been identified by the Centre or requested from a specific community or organisation. There may also be circumstances where the Centre believes it would be more effective to provide a CLE session in a particular area of law than offer one-on-one-advice sessions. Centres should ensure the bulk of their allocation is not directed to CLE projects.
We strongly encourage Centres that when planning for any new CLE projects you ensure that Interpreting and Translating services have been factored into any submissions. Do not assume that your annual allocation will be sufficient to cover the new project or that your Centre would automatically receive an increase in allocation from the VITS funding to cover these additional costs.
Best practice is to check whether the funding body will cover these costs or before submitting the application check with the Working Group, whether any extra funds are available.
How to monitor your Expenditure
* Centres need to be aware that the funds managed by the Working Group are not limitless.
* Record each time your Centre uses TIS, VITS or Vicdeaf. This is generally done via CLSIS, or via your Centre appointment booking systems.
* Note VicDeaf invoices must be sent to Mark Courtney ASAP for payment and a copy must be remitted to Suzy Fox (St.Kilda) for recording on our internal VITS Expenditure statements.
* The kit also provides you with an internal reporting form, which should be maintained by your nominated Centre representative. (See Chapter 7 - Forms Section of this kit). This is particularly important for TIS, has moved to fee for service. The Working Group will require your data when lobbying for the retention of this service. An alternative method is to record your usage is via CLSIS.
* Keep within your allocated VITS funding – ensure that details of each translation or interpreting job (including cost) are internally recorded – keep a running total. In November/December of each year review your expenditure and consult with staff and start planning for the next six months.
* Check your expenditure for accuracy against VITS statements issued by the Working Group. Remember any overspending must now be met by your service. Immediately contact Working Group members if it becomes obvious that there is a risk of overspending your allocation.
* Ensure staff and volunteers are familiar with your service’s policies and procedures in relation to interpreters and translations and that all administrative requirements are understood and maintained.
* Do not contact the VLA CLC Funding Program Advisor about your allocation or your Centre’s translation/interpreting needs as this area is the responsibility of the Working Group. VLA is only responsible for holding the funds and paying VITS or VICDEAF invoices.